Launcher for spinning a top



M. PHIPPS LAUNCHER FOR SPINNING A TOP March 4, 1969 Filed Oct. 24, 1965INVENTORI MARK PH/PPS Z 'TTO/PNEV r United States Patent 3,430,381LAUNCHER FOR SPINNING A TOP Mark Phipps, Wheaton, Ill., assignor, bymesne assignments, to Western Publishing Company, Inc., Racine, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Filed Oct. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,549 US. Cl.4672 2 Claims Int. Cl. A63h 1/00, 1/10 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toplauncher having the shape of a gun with a handle and two spaced-apartlegs extending therefrom. A top, receivable within the spaced-apartlegs, has a central shaft and a disc disposed intermediate the length ofthe shaft. The ends of the launcher are constructed to receive theopposite ends of the shaft of the top, for holding and spinning the topprior to its release from the launcher.

This invention relates to a spinning top, and, more particularly, itrelates to a combined top launcher and top.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a combined toplauncher and top wherein the top can be readily and easily launched in aspinning condition so that it will strike a surface and continue to spinin the normal and well known manner of the function of a spinning top.In accomplishing this particular object, both the top and the launcherare made in an economical and simplified construction so that they canbe readily and rapidly produced and thus they can be inexpensively sold.

Other objects include the provision of a combined top and top launcherwhich can be easily operated by a child, is safe in its operation, isenjoyable and yet a challenge in launching the top since theconstruction is intended so that the top can be aimed at a target areaand launched through the air and onto the target area.

Other objects and advantages become apparent upon reading the followingdescription in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of FIG. 1.

The drawings show a top launcher, generally designated and the top,generally designated 11, assembled together and ready for launching thetop 11 to have it fiy through the air and onto a target area which isnot shown. It will be understood that the target area might includeobjects such as pins which could be knocked over with the top 11, thoughthese pins also are not shown, but are mentioned to give a betterunderstanding of the purpose and construction of the device of thisinvention.

The launcher 10 is formed by a continuous piece of wire 12 which isdisposed in the shape shown to provide a handle-portion 13 at one endthereof. The launcher could of course be made of any suitable material,but it is mentioned that it can be made of a single piece of wire bentinto the shape shown. One can therefore grip the handle 13 and use it inthe nature of a gun in that the launcher 10 can then be aimed bypointing the free ends 14 of the piece 12 in the desired direction. Ends14 are welded at 15.

The ends 14 have cylindrically shaped support pieces 16 fixedly disposedthereon for supporting the top 11 in a manner hereinafter described.

The support pieces 16 are of course shown spaced apart and each containsa groove 17 which is enclosed on three sides and open at one enddesignated 18 in FIG. 2. This is the far end of the grooves 17, that is,the end furthest from the handle 13. The members 16 may be made of woodor plastic so that a minimum of frictional resistance "ice is presentedto the top 11 when the latter is spinning in the commencement of beinglaunched.

The top 11 is shown to include an intermediate disk portion 19 and ashaft portion 21 which extends centrally through the disk 19 and toopposite sides of the latter. The shaft 21 thus presents trunnions 22 onthe opposite ends of the shaft 21. The trunnions 22 are snugly disposedin the grooves 17, as shown, prior to launching, however, the top 11 canbe rotated while on the support pieces 16.

The top 11 has a string 23 shown wrapped around the lower end of theshaft 21, and it will be understood that pulling on the free end 24 ofthe string 23 will induce rotation of the top 11 while the latter is onthe launcher 10. When suitable speed of rotation is achieved by a sharpor rapid pull on the string 23, the top 11 will spin off the launcher 10in the direction that the launcher is pointed with respect to the grooveopen sides 18. In this manner, the user can aim the launching of the top11 at the target area mentioned.

It will now be appreciated that the launcher 10 is shown shaped in thenature of a gun in that it has a handle portion 13 and a comparablebarrel portion in the ends 14. Thus the top 11 can be aimed when oneholds the handle 13 and gives a sharp pull to the string 23, and thiscauses the top 11 to move off the pieces 16 in the direction that thelauncher 10 is aimed. Of course the launcher 10 would have its wirematerial 12 of a stiffness suitable to retain a set position achieved bybending the portions 14 toward or away from each other for the necessaryfit and snugness with respect to the top shaft 21. Of course the fitwould be such that the shaft would be secured by the pieces 16 but yetfree to rotate thereon in response to the sharp pull on the string 23.Of course the string 23 is merely wrapped around the shaft 21 and comescompletely free from the shaft 21 when the launching is completed andthus the top 11 will land on the target area and spin rapidly in theusual and well known action of a top.

While a specific embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it should be obvious that certain changes could be made inthe embodiment and the invention should therefore be determined only bythe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spinning top and launcher wherein the top can be aimed during itsrelease from the launcher, comprising a launcher member of a bendablewire and with one end having spaced-apart legs attached together at alocation spaced from the free ends of said legs and with said legs beingbendable toward and away from each other, pieces mounted on the freeends of said legs and having spacedapart grooves extending in the planeof said legs and being open toward each other and open in the directionof said free ends, the other end of said launcher member including agun-shaped handle lying along said plane for aiming said launcher withrespect to said open ends of said grooves, a top including trunnions onopposite ends thereof and spaced apart a distance to be snugly disposedin said grooves to hold said top from falling out of said grooves andfor rotatably supporting said top until it is launched, and a stringwrapped around said top and being releasable therefrom by pulling onsaid string and thereby inducing spinning of said top.

2. A top launcher comprising a member in the shape of a hand gun andincluding a gun-shaped hand-grip portion at one end and disposed along aplane for gripping and aiming said launcher, said launcher havingspacedapart top-supporting members at the other end and extendingelongated from said hand-grip portion and lying on said plane for aimingthe launcher, said top-supporting members having grooves in the endsextending furthest 3 from said hand-grip portion and with said grooveshaving open ends in the direction pointed away from said handgripportion, a top including an enlarged intermediate flat disc and a shaftextending on opposite sides of said disc and terminating in ends spacedapart a distance equal to the spacing of said grooves for snuglyextending between the latter and being temporarily secured thereinagainst falling under the force of its own weight so that said top canbe aimed for launching, and a string wrapped pulling of said string andthereby causing said top to spin out of said open ends of said grooves.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,890,043 12/1932 Murphree 46722,401,866 6/1946 Greenwood 46-72 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

around said shaft for inducing rotation of said top upon 10 ROBERT F.CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

